Red Hot Chili Peppers are lending their support and pop culture gravity to presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, headlining a concert fundraiser in Los Angeles next month.
The band’s performance at the Theatre at Ace Hotel on 5 February is the next step of public support for Sanders from the group. In September 2015, they signed a letter of endorsement posted on the senator’s website, while bassist Flea has publicly declared Sanders as the only feasible option for the next president.
bernie sanders is the only remotely reasonable candidate for president of the united states
— Flea (@flea333) August 13, 2015
Other music notables have endorsed the Vermont senator in recent months, with Run The Jewels vocalist Killer Mike and modern renaissance man Henry Rollins expressing public support of his campaign. Mike sat down last month with Bernie to cover pertinent issues such as gun control, drugs and free health care in an enlightening interview. He will also perform at Students for Bernie – a free music event on 30 January at University of Iowa Field House where Foster the People, Josh Hutcherson and members of Vampire Weekend and Dirty Projectors will perform.
“After spending five hours with someone who has spent the last 50 years radically fighting for your rights and mine,” Killer Mike said of his time spent with Sanders, “I can tell you that I am very proud tonight to announce the next president of the United States, Senator Bernie Sanders.”
As for new music from RHCP, the music for their next album has reportedly been completed for some time, with Danger Mouse on production and frontman Anthony Kiedis left to complete vocal duties. For his part, Kiedis is hugely optimistic about the near future: “we’ve written some songs that I feel are as good as any songs we’ve ever written.”
The band has scheduled several festival appearances in 2016, including a headlining slot at Reading & Leeds.
Photo: Johnny Firecloud
